Free PDF guide
Electrical & Plumbing Red Flag Guide
What panel type, wiring era, and pipe material actually cost to fix — before you're the one who owns them.
What's inside
- ✓Panel and wiring red flags with real cost-to-fix ranges — from a $100 double-tapped breaker to a $20,000 knob-and-tube rewire
- ✓The five pipe materials inspectors find, which ones are a health or insurance risk, and what replacement actually costs
- ✓Renovation cost ranges for the systems buyers add most — EV charger, heat pump, induction range, tankless water heater
3 key takeaways
What's the one question to ask before touring any house?
"What do you plan to add?" Every appliance or system you plan to add in the next five years — EV charger, heat pump, induction range — assumes the house can support it. That assumption is what costs money to verify.
Is a 100-amp electrical panel enough?
It's the minimum acceptable for modern use, but it limits future additions. Adding an EV charger or heat pump typically requires an upgrade to 200 amps first, at $2,000 to $4,000.
Which plumbing materials are the biggest red flags?
Polybutylene (installed 1978–1995) is class-action settlement material with a real failure risk, and lead pipe or solder found before 1986 is a health risk requiring replacement — both cost $4,000 to $15,000+ to fully replace.
Other free HomeMath downloads
Attic Inspection Checklist: What $1,500–$10,000 Looks Like
What ventilation, insulation, and roof-deck staining actually cost to fix, before you're the one who owns them.
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Basement & Foundation Red Flag Guide: What $500 Buys You
What a structural engineer costs to tell you if a crack is cosmetic or a $30,000 problem, before you sign.
Get it →
Closing Day Playbook: What to Bring, What to Watch For
What to review before you arrive, and the wire fraud pattern that targets buyers at the closing table.
Get it →